Author: Ed Ronco

20-year-old Jason Abbott received 140 years in prison for the stabbing deaths of three relatives and a family friend, and the stabbing assault of a fifth relative. **This story contains sensitive testimony recorded in court, and might be upsetting to some listeners.**

Jazz vocalist and double-bassist Kristin Korb doesn't find anything strange about her combination of talents. "Jazz is a party... sometimes conversations are happening vocally, sometimes it's the bass." The LA-based artist takes the stage tonight (2-5-10) at the Sitka Jazz Festival. She appeared on the Morning Edition interview with KCAW's Robert Woolsey.

A Sitka resident died in a fire Thursday morning at a home on Lake Street. Officials have yet to release the resident's identification, and the cause of the blaze remains under investigation. Raven News will update this report with more information as it becomes available.

Trombonist Wayne Wallace says Latin jazz played properly feels like "floating on water." The three-time Grammy nominee discovered pan-Carribean rhythms in his hometown of San Francisco, but honed his art in Cuba. Wallace performs during the Sitka Jazz Festival this Friday and Saturday (Feb 5 & 6 2010). He appeared on the Morning Edition interview with KCAW's Robert Woolsey.

Sitka is one of the nation's "Dozen Distinctive Destinations," according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The annual award goes to 12 communities in the United States that offer notable cultural and recreational experiences.

What began with the death of a swan last month in Sitka’s Starrigavan Valley has turned into spree of protected bird killings. Federal and state authorities are investigating the shooting of six bald eagles on popular trails around Sitka. One of the dead birds had been recently released by the Alaska Raptor Center.

The union representing teachers in the Sitka School District has a new contract. The board approved the deal the same night another school district union expressed public concern over their wages.

State Sen. Albert Kookesh, who is also chairman of the Sealaska Corp. board of directors, came under fire recently for comments he made in Craig. Those remarks were interpreted by some as a threat -- that Kookesh would withhold state support for projects in Craig if the city opposed legislation that would expand Sealaska's ability to do business. After the remarks came to light, Sitka assembly member Jack Ozment said Kookesh made similar remarks during a Sitka Assembly two years ago. Here's Kookesh's entire testimony (about 7 minutes) from that meeting, on Feb. 26, 2008.

Three brown bear cubs orphaned last summer in Sitka have a new home in New York City. The Bronx Zoo last Thursday (1-28-10) displayed Sitka, Kootz, and Denali to the public for the first time. A fourth orphaned cub from Montana shares an adjacent habitat, and will join the Alaska bears once they all get to know each other. The zoo’s parent organization, the Wildlife Conservation Society, hopes these new urban bears help spread the message about protecting wild habitat.

Toward the end of last year, Sitka Community Hospital asked for feedback from the community. It circulated surveys and held meetings for people to talk about what they like, what they dislike and what they want to see more of at the hospital. Chief executive Hugh Hallgren presented the results of that survey to the Greater Sitka Chamber of Commerce recently.